6 ECTS credits
153 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1021420CER for all students in the 1st semester at a (C) Bachelor - specialised level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Possible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Taught in
English
Partnership Agreement
Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
Department
Sociology
External partners
Universiteit Gent
Educational team
Melissa Ceuterick (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
30 contact hours Lecture
3 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
120 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

Health is a central preoccupation of today’s society, which has been explained from several different disciplinary stances. Alongside physiological explanations, we as sociologists, foreground the claim that health – and, indeed, illness – is also a product of the ways contemporary society is structured and individuals are ascribed to social groups. Health is a reflection of our identity, individual choices and lifestyles, the realities we build around ourselves, and our position in society.

This course offers the opportunity to reflect on a number of interesting perspectives on health. It draws on previous sociological knowledge and major contemporary theorists in medical sociology, by using these theorical frameworks as departure points for discussions about health and health problems to prompt further insights. In so doing, it resorts to a noticeable active approach to learning. Topics include contemporary issues such as mental health and stigma, medicalisation and pharmaceuticalisaton, health identities, migration and health and discrimination in health care, vaccination hesitancy and so on. While students are expected to read a theorical introduction before class, each session is designed to secure significant learning opportunities by analysing cases, real-life situations and current empirical research in light of the theory. As such much of the learning will take place in the (virtual) class room. Students are expected to make a constructive and substantial contribution by asking relevant questions to peers and instructors, being open about what they may find hard to digest in the readings, sharing new insights, presenting cases and experiences that help to understand the theory, drawing upon the readings to contribute to the group discussions. Practicing to formulate and verbalise ideas is an essential step in developing ideas for their final essay.

Students will be guided closely so that they grow confident with and develop their own views on health from a sociological perspective. The course thus aims to feed students’ sociological imagination about current debates on health and health systems.

Additional info

Depending on the size of the group, the class may be delivered in the format of a seminar.

The course material consists of the following:

  • A handbook: Nettleton, S. (2020). The sociology of health and illness. John Wiley & Sons (previewed cost approximately 25 euro)
  • Articles or book chapters to be read on a weekly basis before class, which will be made available on Ufora.
  • Lecture slides which will be made available on Ufora.
  • A guided fieldvisit to a health care facility (depending on COVID measures)

Study load

  • Lectures/seminars: aimed at explaining, exploring and applying theorical models and  discussing the reading materials (10 lectures x 3 hours)
  • Fieldvisit: approximately 3 hours (previewed cost: approximately 15 euro)
  • Self-study: 120 hours (one-pager to be written before class) Additional reading as a preparation of the final essay is expected.
Learning Outcomes

General competences

The course strengthens general competences for the social sciences, which range from analytical devices, to argumentative techniques, to synthesis of literature, to problem solving, to extrapolation to future scenarios.  It thus contributes to acquiring mostly the following competences:

  • LO1: has an active knowledge of the most important theories, currents and concepts prevailing in the domain of the social sciences.
  • LO6: can formulate a valid scientific research question on a topic that relates to the social sciences.
  • LO7: can identify, gather and critically process the relevant sources and literature on a specific social sciences research topic.
  • LO11: has an investigative, problem-oriented and critical attitude towards social, political and media-related phenomena and scientific research results with regard thereof.
  • LO13: reflects and evaluates his or her learning process and results critically.
  • LO18: has awareness of the social role and function of social scientists.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 95% of the final mark.
Other Exam determines 5% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Take-home Essay with a relative weight of 65 which comprises 65% of the final mark.
  • Assignments with a relative weight of 30 which comprises 30% of the final mark.

    Note: This part of the evaluation cannot be retaken in second the examination period. The obtained grade from the first examination period will be transferred.

Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Participation with a relative weight of 5 which comprises 5% of the final mark.

    Note: This part of the evaluation cannot be retaken in second the examination period. The obtained grade from the first examination period will be transferred.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Not applicable.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Sociology